1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to woodworking machines. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a multipurpose woodworking machine which incorporates a sander and router for finishing flooring strips and molding.
2. Description of the Related Art
The preparation and finishing of wood strips, especially flooring and molding, is an old and established segment of the wood flooring industry. In the not to distant past, the sanding and beveling steps performed on the wood strips were done by hand. Obviously, preparation by hand was slow and highly labor intensive. Also a certain level of skill was necessary to obviate loss because of human error. The advent of machines to perform woodworking functions was a boon to the industry.
There are many types of woodworking machines available in the industry today. Examples of machines that perform a sanding function are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 349,121 (Holley et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,099 (Bost), U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,940 (Green), U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,775 (David), U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,689 (Hundebol), U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,183 (Fletcher), U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,287 (Haney), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,180 (Kilde).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,196,740 (McDaniel et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,094 (Willocks), U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,237 (Rosa), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,454 (Fletcher) disclose woodworking machines adapted for cutting or milling.
A woodworking machine equipped with a router is displayed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,107,910 (Sasaki).
Multipurpose woodworking machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,007,500 (Halicki et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,081 (Pritelli), U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,353 (Sproat, Jr.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,448 (Maioli et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,360 (Wright), U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,958 (Shoda), U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,103 (Kopacz et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,273 (Bach), U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,228 (Patterson); European Patent number 0,409,724 A1, and German Patent number 4,114,828 A1.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,024 (Bolyard et al.) discloses a method of making a hardwood floor while U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,678 (Kreiskorte) shows apparatus for determining the contour of a surface.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to disclose a woodworking machine having unique structure which permits the heads of a router and sander to follow the contours of wood strips as will subsequently be described and claimed in the instant invention.